This application claims the priority of German Application No. 198 37 838.6-16, filed Aug. 20, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a back seat arrangement for passenger compartments of motor vehicles.
A generic back seat arrangement having a back seat bench which can be folded up into an upright position and a backrest tiltable into a flat position is disclosed by EP 0 459 839 A1. In the abutment region between the back seat bench and the backrest, an intermediate padded part extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle is provided which is arranged pivotably-on the lower end of the backrest and holds a belt buckle in the operating position. The intermediate padded part is coupled for movement purposes to the back seat bench via a cable or similar actuating device in order to bring the intermediate padded part into a forward-pivoted avoidance position when the back seat bench is folded up. Only after this pivoting of the intermediate padded part into its avoidance position can the backrest be folded forwards, the intermediate padded part pivotably arranged on the backrest being moved into the end position masked by the backrest.
A disadvantage of such a back seat arrangement is that a relatively elaborate actuating device is necessary in order to bring the intermediate padded part into the avoidance position permitting the forward-folding of the backrest. In addition, a tilting of the backrest is possible only if the back seat bench is in the folded-up upright position. The belt buckle has to be secured to the bodywork, via a relatively long and flexible strap, in order to allow the free pivotability of the intermediate padded part. This may in some circumstances, if a tensile force is applied to the belt buckle, for example in the event of an accident, result in an undesired yielding of the flexible strap.
From DE 41 41 836 C1, a rear seat is known to have a seat cushion, which can be folded forwards about its front edge into an upright position, and a backrest, which can be pivoted forwards about its lower edge into a flat position. To receive a belt buckle and to provide a belt buckle anchorage serving as a belt buckle fixture, which fixes the belt buckle on the bodywork, slit-like recesses are provided in the seat surface of the rear seat on or near to the backrest, in each of which a belt buckle partially rests. These recesses are at a distance from the back of the seat cushion, which can be folded up forwards, and set into the front of an extension part of the backrest drawn forwards into the region of the seat surface. Thus, the forward-folded seat cushion has a continuous contour in its upper region.
The belt buckle anchorage possesses a flexible member whereby the belt buckle can be secured at the bodywork end. If the backrest is now brought into its forward-tilted position, the flexible member is bent into a loop with the belt buckle still remaining in the recess. When the backrest is folded back, the flexible member is again located in the recess, in the de-stressed position, and can immediately be used by a passenger. As a result, the belt buckle threading operations, which are widespread with rear seats and time-intensive, can be avoided and the belt buckle can immediately be used again after the backrest has been folded back.
However, the construction of a rear seat with an extension part drawn forwards into the region of the seat surface requires a relatively large space below the back seat bench and a relatively large range of pivoting about the pivot axis of the backrest. As a result of the extension part, also, the backrest is extended, so that the latter requires a wide area between the folded-up back seat bench and its pivot axis in which it is accommodated in its forward-tilted position. This can result in space problems, especially if head restraints are additionally provided on the backrest. Not least importantly, the construction of this known rear seat is relatively costly because of the use of the flexible members.
Other back seat arrangements for motor vehicles are shown in DE 38 14 766 C2 and EP 0 516 512 B1. In DE 38 14 766 C2, a back seat arrangement is shown having a forward-foldable back seat bench and a tiltable backrest, whose seat-belt arrangement, connected to the vehicle floor, is guided through recesses in the back seat bench to the top of the seat. When the back seat bench is folded forwards, the belt buckles secured to the vehicle floor emerge from the recesses and are masked by the backrest when it is folded over. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the belt buckles have to be threaded into the recesses when the seat bench is subsequently folded back. Furthermore, the backrest, in its folded-over position between the folded-up seat bench and its pivot axis, requires a great deal of space, and it may be necessary for head restraints arranged above the back rest to be time-consumingly removed before the backrest is tilted. As an additional disadvantage, the recesses provided in the seat bench are very prone to soiling and difficult to clean.
In EP 0 516 512 B1, a back seat arrangement having a forward-foldable back seat bench and a tiltable backrest is also shown, its seat-belt arrangement, secured on the vehicle, projecting through recesses in the back seat bench to the backrest surface. With this arrangement also, the belt buckles disadvantageously have to be threaded into their recesses when the seat bench is folded back.
The object of the invention is to provide a back seat arrangement having a simplified structure and improved possibilities of use.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a particular back seat arrangement having an intermediate padded part which remains stationary on bodywork irrespective of a pivoted position of a back seat bench and/or backrest.
In the back seat arrangement according to the invention, the intermediate padded part is arranged between the backrest and the back seat bench on the bodywork in such a way that, irrespective of the pivoted position of the backrest and of the back seat bench, it can always remain in its stationary position. An improved possibility of use of the back seat arrangement is achieved by the fact that the backrest can be folded forwards without previously folding up the back seat bench. The belt buckle held in the operating position by the intermediate padded part can be secured by a very short route to the bodywork by a rigid connection, as a result of which the danger of undesired yielding of the belt buckle under tensile force, for example in the event of an accident, can be reduced.
As a result of the provision of the intermediate padded part between the back seat bench and the backrest, the width of the backrest between a pivot axis, extending in its lower area transverse to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle and horizontally, and its upper end is advantageously reduced. As a result of this reduction, the backrest may be brought into a flat position, with head restraints arranged at its upper end, after the back seat bench has been folded up, without these previously having to be removed from the backrest. In addition, the shortened back seat bench can be folded further forwards, as a result of which the carrying capacity of the vehicle can be increased.
As a result of the provision of the intermediate padded part between the back seat bench and the backrest, the possibility is advantageously created of integrating the rear belt buckle into the intermediate padded part and thus permitting a simple construction of the rear belt buckle in combination with the intermediate padded part.
As a further advantage, the belt buckle assigned to the intermediate padded part is cleared away when the back seat bench and the backrest are folded over and can then immediately be used again by a passenger when the back seat bench and the backrest are folded back, without any threading operation, and without a costly rear belt buckle fixture being required.
As an additional secondary effect, tolerances of continuous seams extending parallel to the direction of travel from the back seat bench to the backrest can be compensated for in the region of the intermediate padded part.
Advantageous embodiments of the back seat arrangement according to the invention with expedient developments of the invention are reflected in the claims.
Thus, in a further embodiment of the invention, it is preferred for the intermediate padded part to extend over the entire length of the back seat arrangement, thus achieving not only an optical improvement but also allowing a plurality of belt buckles to be integrated into the intermediate padded part.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the intermediate padded part is of one-piece or multi-piece design, as a result of which a partial region of the back seat arrangement can be removed from the vehicle.
If fixing sections fixed to the bodywork are masked by the removable intermediate padded part, they can be exposed for use by simply removing the intermediate padded part.
The exposed fixing sections are then used, in particular, for the securing of a child seat, which can be secured to the bodywork particularly favourably in the region of the intermediate padded part.
The intermediate padded part can, moreover, be replaced by a padded part which makes fixing sections accessible, for example through continuous recesses. In case of need, therefore, the back seat bench can simply be converted for securing one or more child seats.
If, in a further embodiment of the invention, a partial surface of the seat and/or backrest surface is formed by the intermediate padded part, the width of the back seat and the backrest can be varied and, as a result, the length, especially of the backrest, to be folded over can be adjusted to the dimensions of the region between the forward-folded back seat bench and the pivot axis of the backrest.
The seating of the rear belt buckle in a recess in the intermediate padded part permits, in a further embodiment of the invention, simple access by a passenger to the rear belt buckle and additionally creates a simple way of connecting the rear belt buckle fixedly to the bodywork via a belt buckle fixture, for example comprising a wire cable, metal plate, plastic strip or the like.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the rear belt buckle is directly attached to the intermediate padded part, which in this case takes on the function of the rear belt buckle fixture, and fixedly connected to the bodywork, as a result of which a simple, modular construction of the intermediate padded part with the rear belt buckles is obtained.
If the intermediate padded part, in a further embodiment of the invention, is arranged on a section of the bodywork in such a way that it does not interfere with the resting of the flat, folded-over backrest on a section of the bodywork, and at the same time the intermediate padded part is completely masked by the backrest, a particularly stable additional load-carrying surface and clean coverage of the intermediate padded part are obtained, providing protection against any soiling from the luggage compartment.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the backrest is supported in its flat position with the aid of the backrest surface and/or at least one head restraint arranged on the top of the backrest, as a result of which its damping effect can be exploited in the transportation of goods.
Further advantages, features and details of the invention are apparent from the description of a preferred example of embodiment which follows, and with reference to the drawing.